


Casual Diplomacy

by Reis_Asher



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: 900Gavin, Action/Adventure, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Banter, Blow Jobs, Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Hannor, M/M, POV Gavin Reed, RK900 Is Not A Cop, RK900 Still Manages To Be Called Nines, Resolved Sexual Tension, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, background hank/connor - Freeform, hankcon - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-07-23 19:47:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16165751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reis_Asher/pseuds/Reis_Asher
Summary: Gavin is the third wheel on Connor and Hank's errand to retrieve a diplomat and escort him to the airport. Gavin's only going along because he wants to curry favor with Fowler, but he's about to get a lot more than he bargained for when he discovers the diplomat is being targeted by assassins.As if dealing with Hank and Connor's nauseating flirtation in close quarters wasn't enough, now Gavin has to cope with flying bullets while enduring snarky comments from the android he's charged with protecting.





	1. The Diplomat

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know how long this will be, but I'm hoping for some action, some adventure, and of course, some eventual romance and smut!
> 
> I wanted to write something where 900 wasn't a cop, but was connected to the State Department in some way, since Amanda did state he was made for them.
> 
> It was pretty interesting to get inside Gavin Reed's head. It's such an unpleasant place compared to the sweet, loyal, gruff place that's Hank's mind and the lovable but formal sincerity of Connor's voice.

“Ugh, I dunno why we gotta babysit this damn diplomat.” Hank leaned back in the driver’s seat, the frame creaking beneath his weight and reducing Gavin’s legroom in the back seat by another two inches. He had less room than the average airline seat, and cursed the fact that Hank and Connor were so fucking tall. Why did the god damn tin can have to ride shotgun? Oh yeah, because Hank was soft on the plastic prick.

Connor shot Hank a soft smile. “Homicide has been quiet lately, and Captain Fowler needed our assistance. Besides, is it not beneficial to have the State Department owe us a favor?”

“Would you guys stop flirting for just one second outta the day? Jesus.” Gavin leaned forward from the back seat, acutely aware that Hank and Connor had completely forgotten about his presence.

“Look, Gavin, we didn’t exactly want you to tag along, but we’re all in this together. Can you please just shut up for a few hours so we can escort this diplomat back to the fuckin’ airport and be done with it?” Hank scowled and reached for his coffee cup. He shook the empty styrofoam cup and sighed.

“I’ll get you a refill,” Connor offered, his mouth twisting back into that tender smile. Gavin cringed inwardly. Fucking dipshits didn’t even seem to realize they were flirting, but the amount of eye sex going on made him the third wheel. He didn’t even have a partner to talk with. He was stuck in this hell until the fucking diplomat left the country for his posting… somewhere. Which wasn’t for another three hours.

A black car with tinted windows pulled in behind them and Gavin opened his door, eager to escape the cramped back seat and get away from the sexual tension in the front. Besides, sucking up to the diplomat might be beneficial to his career, which was the only reason he’d agreed to tag along with the loverboys in the first place.

The black limousine's back door opened, and an android stepped out. Of course the diplomat would bring a bodyguard, and from the looks of it, this tin can could hold its own. It kinda looked like Connor, but with none of the soft boy shit going on. It had blue eyes and a high-necked collar that made it all seem all business and no pleasure.

And fuck, it wore that white jacket and black shirt so well that Gavin might have been interested if it wasn’t an android. He wasn’t Hank. It was gonna take more than a nice jacket to make him go plastic.

“Nice to meet you,” the android said, holding out its hand. Gavin took it, reminding himself that androids were their equals now and pissing off the diplomat’s security detail would be a bad way to break the ice. The handshake was brief but firm, formal and distant.

“So um, can you introduce me to your boss?” Gavin asked.

“My boss?” The android shot him a glare. “I work for the State Department. Are you insinuating you would like to change careers?”

God, these androids and their ability to take everything literally. It was so infuriating.

“Your boss. The fuckin' diplomat. Do I have to spell it out?"

The android’s mouth twisted into a thin smile. “I think there has been a misunderstanding,” the android said. “I am the diplomat, en route to a posting in South Korea.”

“Oh.” Gavin said, his foot planted firmly in his mouth. He quickly tried to backpedal, sensing that the diplomat was not going to say kind things about its DPD escort after all. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know that—" Fuck, no, that wasn’t the right thing to say.

“You didn’t know that androids now have equal rights to all government postings and jobs normally reserved for citizens?” The android raised an eyebrow. “I am surprised. It seemed to be quite a contentious issue when the Android Rights Amendment passed.”

Gavin jumped as Hank’s heavy hand clamped down on his shoulder. “Introducing yourself to the ambassador?” Hank held out his hand and shared a hearty handshake with the android, setting Gavin’s teeth on edge. “I’m Lieutenant Anderson, Detroit Police Department.” He gestured behind him to Connor, who of course was tagging along like a stray puppy with doe eyes. “This is my partner, Detective Connor, and you’ve already met Detective Reed, here.”

“Ambassador Nines. A pleasure. I was beginning to think nobody had heard about my posting to South Korea,” Nines said. “As I was explaining to Detective Reed, it has been in the news for several weeks that I am the first android Ambassador to serve the United States overseas.”

“You’ll have to forgive him,” Hank explained. “Detective Reed doesn’t keep up on current affairs unless his name’s in the article.”

Gavin shot Hank his best death glare, but it was wasted on the side of his head. He wanted to let out a snappy comeback, but he’d already blown it with Ambassador Nines and he didn’t want to sour the android’s opinion of him any further than he already had by opening his big mouth.

When had appeasing the feelings of androids been a career-breaking consideration? Gavin bit his tongue, hoping to salvage what little pride he had remaining and get through the day.

God, he almost longed for a corpse to show up so he could get out of android-sitting duty. Of course, knowing his luck, it would be an android corpse and he’d spend his afternoon covered in thirium and inspecting biocomponents.

He hated change, and resented the fact that Hank was adapting to the equal status of androids so quickly, given that he was practically a Luddite. Perhaps that was the trick—his old-school mentality had rejected technology to such a degree that it was simpler for him to accept androids as people than as machines.

“Have your driver stay behind us,” Hank explained. “The patrol cars will take up the front. It’s not a long ride to the airport. We’ll have you on your flight in no time.”

“Thank you.” Nines turned his back and Gavin couldn’t help but admire him a little. He was tall, handsome, and looked like he wasn’t going to take shit from anyone. He might have been wearing Connor’s face, but those cold blue eyes told Gavin he was the predator, not the prey.

Gavin wouldn’t have minded being the prey, but any hope of a quickie with the United States’ first android ambassador only existed in his fantasies.

Besides, he didn’t do plastic, and he wasn’t going to flip-flop like Hank, going soft the second a twink android with bedroom eyes stepped into the equation. Fuck that. CyberLife could make them as pretty as they wanted on the outside, but underneath they were nothing but plastic and wires. Plastic and wires with rights, perhaps, but facsimiles of humanity all the same.

He had plenty of dildos if he ever got _that_ desperate.

Gavin’s thoughts were rudely interrupted by a hail of bullets. Thirium splashed his face and the melted-plastic stench of ruptured biocomponents met his nose. He pulled out his pistol instinctively as he dived on top of the ambassador, wrestling him to the ground and shielding him with his body. Plastic or not, Gavin wasn’t going to be accused of being bad at his job.

Gunshots popped and whizzed above them, and Gavin glanced up to see Hank firing his pistol as he pulled Connor by the arm, back out of harm’s way. Connor’s right arm was leaking thirium, but he seemed unfazed by the injury, returning enough fire to keep their assailants pinned down.

Of course. They were laying down fire for him to get the ambassador out of harm’s way. Gavin grabbed the android by the shoulders and dragged him back behind Hank’s car. He popped open the door and climbed in, hauling the android body up into the back seat. There was a lot of blue blood, and its hull plating had taken damage, along with some of its internals.

“We should have taken the ambassador’s car. It is reinforced with bulletproof plating,” Connor explained, climbing into the driver’s seat. Hank jumped into the passenger side, emptying his clip. A sharp cry indicated he'd hit home, and his expression dimmed as he slammed the door.

“Let’s get the fuck out of here, Connor!” Hank yelled.

The tires squealed as the classic automobile skidded on the tarmac. Bullets ricocheted off the side of the vehicle as it sped away. Hank leaned to glance out of the back window as Connor pushed the car to its limits, the engine groaning in complaint.

“I think we’re clear,” Hank said. “Gavin, how’s the ambassador?”

“Not good. There’s blue blood everywhere.” Gavin touched the android’s cheek, wondering how cold he’d feel to the touch. He was surprisingly warm.

Ambassador Nines opened his eyes. “It is critical level one damage. Biocomponent #9782f is damaged, but will continue to function for another three hours and fifteen minutes.”

“We need to get him to a CyberLife facility,” Gavin said.

Hank ignored him, placing his hand on the bloodied gash on Connor’s arm. “You okay, Connor?”

“It is superficial, Hank,” Connor explained, placing his hand over Hank’s and shooting him a warm smile. Gavin was too keyed up to care, especially since the ambassador he'd hoped to curry favor with was dying in his arms.

“Any IDs on our assassins?” Hank asked.

Connor's LED circled yellow for a moment. “The man you shot was Park Lee-Kwon, a North Korean national. As for a motive, the North and the South still have open hostility towards one another. It is possible the anti-android North believes Nines is a spy sent to infiltrate them via the South.”

“Or someone wanted to make it look like the North Koreans were involved.” Hank’s eyes narrowed. “Could be anti-android factions unhappy at Nines’ posting. It’s impossible to know based on one suspect. We can’t risk taking Nines to CyberLife now that we know he’s a target. It's too exposed."

“The damaged biocomponent is standard in most models," Connor explained in his annoying know-it-all tone. "The repair shop on Howard Street is closest to our current location.”

“He’s an ambassador! You can’t just take him to some back alley chop shop!” Gavin exclaimed.

“It is a sound plan, Detective,” Nines said, shifting to a sitting position. “I am being targeted. We can’t yet draw a conclusion on who is behind the attack. Keeping a low profile is the most logical course of action.”

“Fine.” Gavin hated being outnumbered, especially when the android he’d put his life on the line to save was voting against him.

***

Hank continued to fuss over Connor as they headed into the android repair store, leaving Gavin to carry Ambassador Nines over the threshold like a blushing bride. Thank god androids were designed to be lightweight, as Gavin was having a hard enough time hauling the six-foot-tall android inside. He needed to get back to the gym before Hank started to show him up.

“Set him down on the table,” the engineer said. He pulled off Nines’ thirium-soaked jacket and tossed it to Gavin, who caught it. He unbuttoned Nines’ shirt, exposing perfect abs that put his growing pudge to shame.

But then of course android skin was just a hologram, an illusion. They didn’t even have abs. Androids weren't saddled with the burden of having to hit the gym and lift weights to keep a perfect physique.

Fucking androids. They had it easy. Humans didn’t stand a damn chance, and he hated that the most. No matter how hard Gavin worked, Connor would probably breeze to Sergeant while Gavin stayed at the rank of Detective until he was as old and fat as Ben Collins.

He had to admit Nines looked fucking good, though, even with two bullet holes in his torso. Gavin winced a little as the mechanic opened a panel on his chest, exposing circuitry and biocomponents. His thirium pump pulsed like a human heart, and Gavin’s stomach turned.

“Squeamish, Detective? I find that quite amusing, given the fact you’re a homicide detective.”

“Shut the fuck up. I can’t believe I put my life on the line for you and I’m still gettin’ insults. Ambassador or not, just shut your fucking trap already,” Gavin snapped. He was ready to be done with the day, especially when Connor waltzed in buttoning up his shirt and Hank wore a shit eating grin that told Gavin he’d gotten a good look at his android partner’s bare chest.

Fucking pervert. He was not gonna end up like that. There wasn’t enough alcohol in the entire universe to make him depart from his senses that badly.

“I’m gonna wait in the car.” Gavin pushed past Connor, shoulder checking him on the way out. It was a petty move, but he was feeling spiteful. He was sick of Hank and Connor’s nauseating little will-they-or-won’t-they games, tired of being the spare part on this stupid escort mission and absolutely fucking done being a meat shield for this god damn tin can diplomat who couldn’t even say ‘thanks’.

He sulked in the car for a good hour, playing with his phone once looking out for imaginary threats got boring after ten minutes. Their assailants didn’t seem that persistent, all things considered. He couldn’t believe they’d slipped the net this easily.

Maybe they’d just wanted to give Nines a good scare. Gavin couldn’t blame them; he was pretty eager to put a bullet in the plastic prick himself. It wasn’t hard to imagine the ambassador had made enemies. Nines wouldn’t make the shortlist for Personality Of The Year, that was certain. What an acerbic dickhead.

When he appeared in the doorway sporting those blue eyes, not a hair out of place, black turtleneck fitting him snugly, Gavin had to admit his anger ebbed a little. He realized he still had Nines’ white jacket sitting on his leg, the thirium stain fading from the human eye, leaving only the bullet holes. It was ruined, of course, but he didn’t doubt Nines would find a way to wear it and look good anyway.

The other door opened and Nines slipped into the back seat beside him. Gavin thrust the jacket into his hands, suddenly eager to be rid of the damn thing. Hank and Connor were still flirting in the doorway as if they hadn’t been shot at today. Or maybe that turned them on. He’d heard stories about Hank. Gavin rolled his eyes.

“Thank you,” Nines said.

Gavin waited for the other shoe to drop. “For what?”

“You protected me. You put your life in danger to shield me from my assailants. I will be lauding your bravery and your dedication to duty in my report, Detective Reed. Despite the fact you clearly have an objection to androids, you carried out your mission.”

“It’s not—I’m not—" Gavin sighed.

“You’re not against android rights, _but_?” Nines remarked.

“Fuck you. You’re think you’re so clever, don’t you? God, you’re as insufferable as Connor.”

Nines laughed, a deep chuckle that echoed in the tiny space. “Tell me. Are Detective Connor and Lieutenant Anderson romantically involved?”

“To everyone else but them. It’s disgusting, not to mention putting other lives in the department at risk. I needed Hank’s help back there, and he was too busy dragging his precious Connor out of danger.”

“I’ve reconstructed the scene and Lieutenant Anderson chose to act in a way that had the best odds of success,” Nines argued. “Laying down covering fire was the only way he could protect you. He would have been overwhelmed by himself, so rescuing his partner to assist him in this task was essential.”

Gavin's mood soured further. “Fine, okay, take their side all you want. You have to admit it’s nauseating, though.”

“I do not possess a stomach and do not understand why affection would cause such a reaction.”

“Do you androids have to take everything literally, or is that just another tactic to change the subject?” Gavin batted the air. He didn't want to argue with this fucking android. The machine would just have an answer for everything he said, anyway. “Never mind.”

Hank and Connor opened the front doors in tandem and Gavin stared out of the window, avoiding the gaze of everyone in the car. An awkward silence descended on the occupants of the vehicle.

Gavin shifted in his seat. He just wanted to get the hell home and take a shower. Darkness had already drawn in, and their little errand was nowhere near complete. “So what’s next, Hank? We gonna get this dipshit to the airport or not?”

“Nope. We just got word that Nines’ private jet exploded at the airfield. Someone really wants you dead, Ambassador.” Hank buckled his seatbelt. “I’ve contacted Captain Fowler. The FBI is gonna take you into protective custody, but they won’t be here until morning. For tonight, I think it’s best if you stay at Gavin’s apartment, Ambassador.”

Gavin's rage bubbled over immediately. “Now wait just a fucking minute! My apartment? You have a fucking house. Why wouldn’t he stay there? No vacancies now your android partner is living in your one bedroom home?”

“They’ll be expecting the ambassador to stay with us,” Connor explained. “The assassins are less likely to track him if he’s with you.”

Gavin wanted to tell them no, but he didn’t have a reason that didn’t sound petty and childish. Truth was, his apartment was a mess from living alone with three cats, but he wasn’t about to admit that to Hank.

“Fine. But I want the FBI there first thing to get him off my hands. I’m over this babysitting bullshit.” Gavin narrowed his eyes as he stared at Nines, and he could have sworn the android shot him a tiny smile.

Oh fuck no, Nines was not going to turn on the RK-brand charms and expect him to roll over. He'd only agreed in the hopes of getting a commendation out of the deal. 

He was going to beat Connor to Sergeant if it fucking _killed_ him.


	2. Pride In Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin gets to shelter Nines for the night at his apartment. Cats, bullets, explosions, and sexual tension ensue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last one for a few days, at least until Saturday. Make it last, and I hope you enjoy it!

Gavin brandished his pistol as he unlocked his apartment door, pressing his body against it and peering through the gap to listen for intruders. Satisfied, he opened the door wide and rushed inside, sweeping the rooms one-by-one as if he was entering a suspect's home and not his own. Nines followed at a more casual pace, ostensibly scanning for life-signs amidst the wreckage of filthy laundry, cat litter, and takeout boxes, but there was no telling if he was narrowing his eyes to look for threats or passing judgement on the state of the apartment. 

“I know it ain’t the Ritz,” Gavin mumbled, holstering his gun as he tried to mop up the remainder of his pride. He never let strangers into his apartment. Even quick fucks went back to their place or a motel room. He scooped up a meowing cat and wandered into the kitchen, opening a can of food while he set the feline down on the counter. He lowered the food dish to its usual spot on the battered linoleum and two other black fur balls slinked out of the shadows to chow down.

Nines—Ambassador Nines, Gavin reminded himself—stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room, watching all this with what could only be termed a bemused expression, judging from the twinkle in his blue eyes and the thin smile that played across his lips. He looked like he was holding back a smart comment, and Gavin wasn't sure whether to go ahead and invite him to spit it out, or tell the android to shut the hell up.

Nines didn't wait for Gavin's permission to make his observation. “I did not expect you to be a 'cat person', so to speak."

“Yeah, well, don’t put that in your report,” Gavin retorted. “I have an image to maintain.”

“So it would seem.” Nines’ smile thinned so much that his lips disappeared into a straight line, and Gavin felt an insult coming on the way one might predict an incoming storm from the humidity and air pressure. "The rest of my observations, especially those regarding the state of your living space, have turned out to be accurate. This is the quintessential 'bachelor pad', though its state of disarray is at the extreme side of the spectrum. I was inclined to think this apartment had been ransacked at first."

Gavin let his irritation boil over. "Fuck you kindly, Ambassador. I've been workin' towards a promotion, one that you plastic pricks seem intent on derailing for me. Connor doesn't have to sleep and he's the perfect fuckin' detective without even having to work for it. Meanwhile, I get up at four in the morning and come home exhausted past nine p.m most days. That's if I get lucky and some dumb prick doesn't find a body in the middle of the night."

"I apologize if I have offended you, Detective Reed." Nines actually did a good job of looking contrite, bowing his head slightly and averting his gaze. Gavin supposed he'd need far more advanced social skills than Connor's awkward attempts at human interaction if he was to survive in the world of foreign diplomacy. "My observations were unsolicited and unwelcome." His LED actually turned red for a moment, and Gavin was struck with the sudden urge to push him a little bit, to feel like he was in control for once on this shitty day. He leaned on the counter and took a stab.

"You can be sorry all your like, but you're replacin' a human being, aren't you? Taking a job from someone who needs to put food on the table?"

"My predecessor passed away from natural causes, and there were no diplomats available to accept a posting on such short notice. My position is only a six-month trial. If my performance or presence causes issues, I will be replaced. Since I hold no official rank or tenure in the State Department, I will probably be reassigned to low-paid desk duty and have my clearances revoked."

"Oh." The witty retort on the tip of Gavin's tongue fizzled. "Sounds like a rough break."

"Humans are still reluctant to accept androids as equals. I hope my presence in South Korea is conducive to the public good, but I cannot accurately predict the response of the locals to my presence, given that South Korea has just green-lit deviant rights after months of protests." His LED circled yellow and he wore a somber expression that made Gavin feel like an asshole. Gavin scratched the back of his neck. This had gotten awkward. Nines wasn't supposed to make him feel things that weren't frustration or spite. The fucking android was supposed to avoid getting shot at and leave with the FBI for his big successful posting, and Gavin was gonna wipe his hands and yell 'good riddance' at a volume clearly audible to Nines' ears as he walked away.

Sympathy was not on the damn cards, and he wasn't making room for it now.

"The time is twelve-fifteen, Detective. It is, as they say, past your bedtime." Nines lifted his head and smiled, those gorgeous blue eyes staring right into Gavin's, and he felt like the android peered right into his soul while his shields were down. Defenseless against the charm assault, Gavin’s dick stirred in his pants and he turned away, busying himself with making a peanut butter sandwich for a late night snack so Nines wouldn't get to see his state of arousal. Being tired was messing with his senses. He needed to sleep. In the morning Perkins would drop by with the cavalry and take Nines away. He’d never have to endure that smart mouth again, even if he had to admit he kinda liked it.

He stuffed his mouth full of sandwich and the distraction did its job, his excited dick wilting. He spoke with a mouth full of bread. “I’m fuckin' tired. I’m gonna hit the hay. Do whatever it is you android types do instead of sleeping.” Gavin drew his pistol and offered the grip to Nines, who took it, ejecting and checking the rounds left in the clip like a professional before reloading it. Diplomat or not, it was clear he'd been programmed for more than just negotiating. “Just in case there's trouble. Don’t shoot my cats.” He looked down to where Spitfire was rubbing up against Nines’ leg.

Even the damn cats seemed to like this plastic asshole. Traitors. He was buying the cheap cat food next time he went to the grocery store. Nothing from the refrigerated aisle until the little fuckers could remember who fed them. Gavin drew the line at being whipped by his cats.

Gavin wandered into his bedroom. He slipped off his jacket and threw it over a chair, toeing off his shoes at the foot of the bed. He slumped onto the bed, too exhausted to undress, and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

***

Gavin suppressed a yell of surprise as he recognized the pressure over his mouth was a hand keeping him quiet by force. Sleepiness was replaced by a surge of adrenaline as he struggled in his captor’s grip, but he was held back against a solid body and his best efforts did nothing against the immovable object.

“It’s me,” Nines whispered into the small of his ear. Not that Gavin needed him to. Years of training had told him from the outset that no human could creep on to his bed and immobilize him like this without waking him from his light sleep.

Having his mouth covered and one arm held behind his back while the android pressed up against him was almost pleasant, or it might have been if Gavin didn’t know they were in deep shit. His mind still wandered to the thought of Nines forcibly silencing him to stifle his moans of pleasure.

Damn it, where had that thought come from? Now was not the time for his dick to be quickening in his pants, even if fear sometimes had the side effect of making him horny.

“Four. Living room,” Nines elaborated, his lips so close to Gavin's ear that it sent shivers down his spine. Gavin’s heart hammered in his chest as Nines loosened his grip. He crawled across the bed, sliding open the bedside table drawer that held his spare pistol. He groped for the gun, loading a clip into it as quietly as he could manage.

The deafening sound of pistol fire hurt Gavin’s ears as Nines fired at a shadow in the doorway. The body slumped to the ground with a heavy thud. Gavin’s ears rang with tinnitus as he rolled off the bed and ran to the doorway, pressing his back to the wall right inside the doorframe. Nines took the other side, his LED casting a slight blue hue in the darkness. Gavin hoped their assailants couldn't see it, or they were going to know exactly where their quarry was hiding.

One of Gavin’s cats howled and he heard a thump as a man cursed in a foreign language that might have been Korean, tumbling to the floor. Gavin caught a glimpse of the attacker's silhouette and ducked out from the doorframe, taking the shot before getting back in cover. The man cried out, twitched, and fell still before the horror of having killed in the line of duty spread through Gavin's veins like lead. It wasn’t the first time and it wouldn’t be the last, but there were some things training couldn't overcome.

He forced his trembling fingers to still on the grip of his gun, taking long, deep breaths without wheezing as the ringing in his ears faded out. There were two assassins left by Nines’ count, and he couldn't allow himself to descend into panic until they were down. Right now, he needed to protect Nines, himself, and his cats. 

Nines moved up to hunker behind the couch. He took the next shot, popping his head up to fire at a shadow Gavin couldn’t make out in the gloom. Gavin heard a sharp cry and the shattering of glass as the attacker fell back into his trophy case. Damn it, he’d have to get his police academy photos and certificates reframed. Trust Nines to ruin the one thing in his shitty little apartment he actually took pride in.

The State Department was getting a bill for the damages. He was a cop, not a bodyguard. Killing professional hitmen in his own home was not in his job description, and he was going to have some firm things to say to Fowler next time he was at work.

Bullets embedded themselves in the wall above him and the plasterboard crumbled on his head, covering him in dust. Gavin ducked down, looking for new cover now that his location had been compromised. He crawled up to where Nines was still ducked behind the couch. He realized his mistake as the couch was peppered with automatic weapons fire, sending stuffing flying up in the air. A bullet whizzed past Gavin's ear and he rolled over to get out of the way. He scrambled on his hands and knees under the living room table and considered his next move. Nines was pinned down by bursts of semi-automatic fire behind a couch that was quickly losing its ability to absorb bullets, and the android was going to get killed if Gavin didn't think of a plan soon.

Gavin saw Nines leave the relative safety of the couch to reach for something. He heard a stray bullet ricochet off metal at the same time he saw the spark, and he knew Nines was hit before the smell of thirium even reached his nose. Nines pulled himself back into cover, wires sparking blue beneath his compromised hull plating. In his other arm he cradled Ash, the grey kitten purring like there wasn’t a gun battle going on ten feet away.

Nines had taken a bullet to save his cat, and Gavin’s opinion on the android changed dramatically. He shot Nines a warm smile before rolling out from under the table during a lull in the assault, firing in the general direction the volley of bullets had come from. He heard a cry and a thud, and knew he’d hit pay-dirt with a grim sense of satisfaction. Nobody hurt his android or his cats.

No, not his android. The android he was charged with protecting. Ambassador Nines was a living being. One who had saved his cat's life and probably his as well.

They stayed in place for a few more moments, the only sounds being Ash’s purring and Gavin’s ragged breathing as he waited for Nines to give him the all-clear or for a fresh volley for gunfire to take him out in his prone position on the carpet.

“I am not detecting any life signs,” Nines said. “I believe we are safe for now.”

Gavin breathed a sigh of relief and stood up. He crept over to the light switch on shaky legs, flicking it on to take in the gruesome scene before him. His security deposit was not going to cover the bullet holes in the walls, or the bloodstains on the carpet. Glass from the display case covered the carpet, and he was annoyed to note that his favorite picture of himself receiving a commendation now came with fresh blood spatter.

He looked down at Nines, nodding in the direction of his right arm, which was peppered with bullet holes. "You all right?" He was surprised when Nines detached his forearm and held it up to his mouth, stripping wires bare with his teeth before laying the arm on his leg and using his left hand to twist the copper wire together. He reattached the arm and flexed his fingers before nodding to Gavin.

"This is only minor damage. The thirium loss was minimal and appears to have stopped. I thank you for your concern, Detective."

Gavin nodded. "Couldn't have done it without you," he admitted. Credit where credit was due, Nines had done a fine job of protecting himself and Gavin, even if that ability came from programming instead of hard work. In a pinch, it didn't matter, and Gavin would have been dead without Nines.

Gavin quickly swept the apartment for any assailants that might be lying in wait, rounding up Soot and Shadow before their curiosity killed them. Knowing the little bastards, they would probably drink the human blood off the carpet and sit happily atop the corpses, licking their paws at a job well done, but Gavin wasn't going to take any chances that they might consider the shattered glass a new playground.

“I’ve called 911, and alerted Detective Connor,” Nines explained, tapping his yellow LED as Gavin stepped back into the living room with armfuls of cat. “We should retreat to the bedroom and wait for help to arrive.”

Gavin pursed his lips. “No. Something’s not right. I can’t put my finger on it, but we need to leave.”

Nines cocked his head to the side. “Your detective instincts?”

“Yeah. Somethin’ like that.” Gavin rooted around in the messy apartment until he found his cat carriers, and bundled the cats into them. He expected some remark from Nines, but he didn’t seem to be bothered by the fact Gavin was putting them in danger for the sake of pets. He ran into the bedroom and grabbed his favorite jacket, throwing it on before grabbing a clip from his open drawer, reloading his gun. He was probably just being paranoid, but his messy sanctuary had been violated and he couldn't wait to leave. He glanced at the broken display case, feeling a little self-conscious about how much he cared about the shattered shrine to his achievements.

“Let’s go.” With a cat carrier in one hand and his pistol in the other, Gavin led the way into his apartment building hallway. Nines followed him with the other two cats as Gavin locked up. On a detective’s wage, he could have moved into something nicer, but the old building was inexpensive living and he was nothing if not cheap. With all the money in his savings account, he could have bought an android of his own, but the idea of fucking a plastic asshole never appealed to him. 

Until now. Until Ambassador Nines had walked into his life, taken bullets for his cat and delivered the kind of insults that suggested he’d be amazing in bed. He wanted Nines to pin him to the mattress the way he'd restrained him earlier and fuck him senseless.

But of course, the ambassador was headed to South Korea—if his would-be assassins didn’t send him to the grave first. Even if he did get his wish and seduced Nines, nothing could ever come of it. Nines was nothing more than a handsome distraction from his marriage to the Detroit Police Department. He glanced sideways, enjoying the view as they waited for the elevator. He wondered what it said about him that he was attracted to this android that looked so much like a harder, meaner Connor.

The elevator arrived with a chime, and Gavin raised his pistol, half-expecting the elevator to be filled with a fresh batch of assassins. He was relieved when the doors slid open to reveal an empty space, and he bundled inside with Nines before hammering on the close door button.

Nines, of course, had to pipe up. "That button, as with most such devices, is not wired to any system. It is a dummy device to make humans feel better."

"Well, I'd like to feel like I'm doin' something, dipshit. You might have noticed that this ain't the safest neighborhood right now."

"Touché." 

The elevator doors finally closed and Gavin leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes and exhaling deeply. He'd quit smoking, but the urge was assaulting him and he promised himself one smoke if they just got out of this alive. The car moved down the elevator shaft with all the urgency of Hank coming into work with a hangover, and Gavin was sure they'd be attacked when they reached the lobby. He was surprised when the doors opened to reveal nothing, and was starting to feel strung out by all the false alarms. Easy on the eyes or not, perhaps Nines wasn't worth all this stress after all.

He left the building and crossed the lot to his car with Nines in tow, bundling the cat carriers into the back seat. The cats meowed, only intensifying Gavin's stress. He holstered his gun, his hands to shaky to fire anyway and climbed into the driver's seat, grateful that Nines had already helped himself to the passenger side and sat with his pistol in his hands. At least he wouldn't panic if they got into a fight.

Gavin turned over the engine and programmed the self-driving vehicle to take them to Hank's place. He overrode the autopilot by slamming on the brakes as soon as he heard a loud explosion and the sound of breaking windows from above them. A fire alarm sounded and Gavin knew with a sinking feeling that his instincts were right again. These hitmen weren't playing nice and had planted explosives somewhere in the building as an insurance policy. Someone really wanted Ambassador Nines dead, and they'd almost succeeded. Gavin tore off his seatbelt and moved to open the door as the self-driving car ground to a halt, but Nines placed a restraining hand on his arm.

"We can't stop to confirm what we already know," Nines pointed out. "We have to go. I have alerted the fire department.” Nines' LED circled red, then yellow. “I’m sorry, Detective Reed.”

“You’ve taken a bullet for my cat. My apartment and everything I own have been destroyed on your behalf. I think you can call me Gavin, now.”

“Well then, I’m sorry, Gavin,” Nines said.

“Oh, don’t worry. I’m sending you the bill," Gavin replied. He imagined his accolades and photos burning up in the flames, and blinked back tears as the vehicle pulled onto the main road, Nines' blue eyes boring into him with something Gavin wanted to believe was concern. Nines opened his mouth to speak and Gavin realized he couldn't take any platitudes from the ambassador, not without crying like a child in his arms. He took emergency measures to preserve what was left of his pride.

"Fucking androids," Gavin muttered. He was grateful when Nines looked down at his lap and closed his mouth, swallowing whatever niceties he'd planned to assault Gavin with. The cats commented by meowing from the back seat. "You shut up too, you damn furballs, or I'll turn you into three tiny rugs!"

Nines shook a little in the passenger seat, and Gavin realized he was laughing with the sound off, trying to keep his mirth to himself. Despite his anger, Gavin glanced out of his side window and cracked a smile he hoped Nines couldn't see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Therapy was canceled, so I spent some time with these guys instead.


	3. Plastic Crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a firefight at Hank and Connor's house, Nines gets handed off to the FBI, but Gavin's not ready to let him go so fast...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taken so long to get this one out, I've been pretty ill with depression but it's starting to loosen its hold on me and I'm glad to be writing!

“Shit. They’ve got company.” Gavin drew his gun, but Nines was quicker on the mark. The automatic window of the car whirred as it slid down painfully slowly and two shadows skulking outside Hank’s window dropped into the bushes before they knew what hit them.

“Shit!” Gavin yelled. He buried his face in Nines' lap without thinking, the instinct to get down and out of harm's way kicking in. A warm substance hit the back of his neck and he wiped it off before looking at his hand and seeing a blue smear. Panic struck him as Nines slumped. Gavin reached back and opened the door with his foot, kicking it open and sliding out of the car backwards before dragging Nines out onto the tarmac, the car providing some cover from their assailants while Gavin and Nines regrouped. Gavin looked at Nines' neck where a bullet wound gushed blue blood. He didn't know a whole lot about android physiology, but it sure looked like Nines was bleeding from an artery.

“Nines, fuck! Hold on, you fucking tin can. Don’t you even think about dyin’ on me.” Gavin pressed a rag to Nines’ neck and grabbed the android’s hand, pressing it over the wound to free up his grip. He crawled around to the hood of the car and peeked over it. He spied a figure on the left, in front of Hank's garage door, and popped out from behind cover, discharging two shots into the assassin. He glanced back at Nines, horrified at how blue the rag was already. He needed medical attention, but no ambulance was going to get close while they were under attack.

A bullet whizzed past his ear and Gavin returned to the task of dispatching the immediate threat. He stayed down behind cover, cursing the fact that he was pinned down while his expensive sports car was slowly being peppered with bullet holes. Was Nines going to cost him everything he owned? He stole another look at the android, admitting that Nines' life was worth the high personal cost to his pride and his possessions.

Shots rang out into the night and two shadows screamed before going down in two precise hits. Gavin spied Connor shooting the last of the attackers dead from his vantage point. Connor stood in the doorway with Hank at his back, the big man ever his guardian and protector.

“Clear!” Connor yelled, lowering his gun. Hank visibly relaxed and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Gavin stood up the rest of the way. “Nines has been hit. It’s bad. He needs medical attention.” He knelt back down beside the ambassador, pulling the rag away to see a fresh font of blue blood oozing out of a ruptured pipe. Connor was at his side within moments, Hank following behind.

“I have to stem the bleeding immediately or he's not going to make it.” Connor shot Hank a worried glance. “Hank, I need a blowtorch.”

“Gotcha.” Hank walked away, taking long strides toward the garage. Gavin turned back to Nines.

“I fucked up,” Gavin said. His cats meowed from the back seat, and he wasn’t exactly surprised that they agreed with his assessment.

“Why do you have cats with you?” Connor asked. Before Gavin could answer, Nines reached up and grabbed Connor’s hand, retracting his skin and interfacing with Connor directly. Gavin had once thought that creepy, but there was something he envied now looking at them, a closeness and intimacy he’d never share with Nines.

“Oh,” Connor said. He pulled his hand away, covering the white plastic with his skin. “Detective Reed, I’m sorry about your apartment.”

“Save it.” The last thing Gavin wanted was Connor trying to suck up with one of his canned comments. “It was your fucking idea. 'The assassins are less likely to track him if he’s with you,'" he parroted in an awful impression of Connor's voice. "You were wrong.” He was strung out, tired, and on edge from the fact Nines was bleeding out while they calmly chatted. “Where the fuck is Hank with that blowtorch already?”

“Here,” Hank’s voice boomed behind him. He pressed the blowtorch into Connor’s hand and tapped Gavin on the shoulder. “How about we let Connor do his thing? He knows more about android shit than anyone.”

"Fine. Can you help me with this?" Gavin reached into the back seat of his car and pulled out a cat carrier, handing it to Hank, who looked at him with a bemused expression.

“My apartment’s toast,” Gavin explained. “Attackers hit us too.”

Hank led Gavin past the bodies and into the house. “Jesus. I don’t fuckin’ like this, Gavin. Something stinks."

“Yeah. Me either. How did they know where to hit us?” Gavin carried the other two cats inside, giving Sumo a leery glance as he set the carriers down on the carpet. “My cats gonna be okay with him?”

“Sumo wouldn’t hurt a fly. Chances are they’ll be sleepin’ on his back by tomorrow.”

“You don’t know these little fuckers,” Gavin observed, but he opened Soot’s cage anyway and watched as the cat tentatively entered its new surroundings. Sumo raised his head from his sleeping position, but promptly set it back down and closed his eyes, unimpressed by the little furball making his way around the living room. He let the other two out and shrugged as they wandered around, seemingly unshaken by their ordeal.

“The DPD and FBI are on their way," Hank said, looking up from his phone. "I guess Perkins finally thinks the situation is serious enough to warrant getting up early.”

“Shit, that prick is gonna be in charge of protecting Nines? You gotta be kidding me!”

“Thought you’d be glad to have the ambassador off your hands, Gavin.” Hank raised an eyebrow, watching Gavin with that look he hated, the one that said he was putting pieces together like a detective and coming up with an answer that was probably correct.

“I will, but I don’t wanna lose my apartment for nothin’. If Nines goes with that scumbag, he’s as good as dead. Perkins is so fuckin’ soft it only took one sorry punch from you to lay him out. These North Korean fucks ain’t taking prisoners.”

“I don’t like it any more than you do. My instincts tell me there’s more to this than the Korean divide or some basic anti-android sentiment. These bastards are professionals.” Hank headed for the door as red and blue flashing lights lit up the living room through the blinds. Gavin followed, trusting his cats would be safe for a while. If they wrecked anything in Hank’s house... well it was only fair. Hank and Connor owed him an entire fucking apartment. Not to mention a brand new car. Hopefully he could charge some of the costs to his expense account, or failing that, the State Department.

Gavin paused in the doorway as he almost bumped into Nines, and he felt like he was looking at a ghost. A jagged scar crossed Nines' plastic throat where Connor had welded over the bullet hole. His skin didn't fully cover the spot, leaving a white mark that betrayed his android nature more than the LED on his head. Nines held an almost-empty bottle of thirium in his hand, and Gavin guessed it wasn't his first. Gavin touched the scar on his own nose, absently thinking how they were a pair now, both damaged in ways that would never fully heal...

Stupid. Getting sentimental about a robot who was about to get gunned down in the care of the FBI was ridiculous. He had to stop caring about the plastic ambassador before he wound up hurting for it.

“Connor fixed you up, huh?” Gavin tried to keep his tone casual, but a smile betrayed his elation at knowing Nines was safe.

“My condition is no longer critical.” Nines placed a hand on Gavin’s arm. I appreciate your efforts to protect me, Detective.”

“It’s my job.” Gavin thought Nines' hand was going to burn through his jacket, and he looked away, afraid that if he looked directly into Nines' eyes, the android would detect every thought running through his mind.

A black car weaved between the patrol cars lining the street and slowed to a stop by the curb. Perkins stepped out, walking around the body of one of the assailants with complete non-interest. The DPD officers parted the way for him, and he avoided Ben Collins' awkward but polite greeting, walking straight by as if he hadn't heard a word.

“Ambassador Nines, I take it?” Perkins reached out a hand and shook Nines’. “I’m Special Agent Perkins, FBI. I’m here to escort you to safety. I apologize that it took so long, but we underestimated the threat to your safety. Or perhaps we overestimated the ability of these amateurs.” He eyed Gavin, and Gavin shot him a look he hoped could kill. He'd forgotten how much of a smug, self-important prick Perkins was.

Gavin's heart grew two sizes as Nines spoke up to defend him. “On the contrary, Special Agent, the officers of the DPD have gone above and beyond the call of duty to ensure my safety. Is the FBI any closer to identifying the source of the threat?”

“Not yet. We’re working on it.” Gavin enjoyed how terse Perkins sounded. He hadn’t enjoyed Nines’ overwhelming praise for the DPD, that was certain.

Gavin, on the other hand, was puffing up quite nicely at Nines’ spirited defense. If anyone had told him the android was gonna go to bat for him by the end of the day, he’d have laughed at them and told them to fuck off.

But that didn’t change the fact the android was leaving and he was unlikely to ever see him again. He found Hank’s front lawn suddenly interesting as Perkins ushered Nines towards his car. Nines got in the back seat and Gavin looked up just in time to see Nines' blue eyes taking one last glance in his direction.

Gavin raised his hand in the lamest little wave and immediately kicked himself for it. He lowered his hand and watched the car roll away, snow crunching beneath the tires.

He was never going to see Nines again. The thought struck him like a physical blow. Even if Perkins was able to keep him safe, Nines would be half a world away. But that was just how it was. The android had a career, and it was one to be proud of. Just like nothing could ever come between Gavin Reed and the DPD, he couldn’t ask Nines to quit his posting and stay based on less than twenty-four hours of passionate attraction.

He thought about the sensation of Nines’ hand clamped over his mouth and shivered. His one regret was going to sleep instead of luring Nines into his bed last night. Maybe the ambassador would have been up for a quick fuck, if he’d only lowered his defenses enough to ask. Now Nines was just another name on a list of ones who’d gotten away.

“You just gonna let him go?” There was a tentative, curious tone to Hank's voice, as if he was testing a theory, and Gavin knew Hank was trying to push him towards what he wanted. “Perkins' nose snapped like peanut brittle as soon as my fist hit it. He doesn’t stand a chance against trained professionals.”

“What do you expect me to do?” Gavin snapped. “The FBI has jurisdiction. We’re off the case. That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”

“You tell me. Is it?” Hank cocked his head a little, the way he often did when Connor didn't get a joke. “You could follow him. Make sure he gets to the airport in one piece. It’s up to you, though. If you’re glad to have the android outta your hair, that makes sense.”

A cat screeched inside the house. No doubt Soot had finally staked out his territory and was defending his newfound castle against the giant sleeping dog that was invading it. Sumo barked excitedly. “Down boy!” Connor could be heard yelling in the background.

“Gotta go,” Hank said. He clapped a huge hand on Gavin’s shoulder before heading into the house and closing the front door behind him.

Gavin wanted to turn and join them. It made sense to forget about the ambassador. That way, he wouldn’t feel like his heart got ripped out when he found out Nines had been assassinated. Getting personally involved in Nines' fate was a mistake.

Who was he kidding? He was already personally involved. He’d never be free of the sensation of Nines’ hands on him, of their banter in the kitchen. He’d spend his days wondering what he might have done differently if he found out Nines had been killed.

His feet moved of their own accord towards his car, hoping the bullet holes wouldn't affect its performance too much. He was just going to check that Perkins did his job properly. Not to say some sappy goodbye to a fine-looking—but ultimately off limits—piece of plastic.

***

Gavin weaved in and out of auto-driving traffic, his car in manual mode as he floored it to make up for lost time. His adrenaline was pumping—it had been way too long since he’d had the chance to chase someone down, and now he'd made his decision, he felt compelled to see it through to the end.

He spotted the entourage taking the exit ramp towards the airport. They might not have had police lights attached to their cars, but the group of black sedans screamed VIP to any casual observer. Not that Gavin was surprised Perkins wasn’t taking this seriously. All the FBI agent saw was a plastic that was having trouble getting from A to B—not a person being targeted for assassination.

Gavin stayed a few cars behind, wishing he’d had time to stop for coffee. Despite the adrenaline, he was starting to feel strung out. He'd been going for too long on too few hours of sleep.

In an ideal world, he would have woken up to Nines bringing him coffee, still shirtless from the night before and showing off his flawless body.

Instead, he inhabited a less than perfect world in which Nines was being hunted down like a deviant before the android rights movement had changed the law. A movement he hadn’t agreed with at the time, he noted bitterly. What a difference a day made.

Damn it, he was getting soft over a plastic.

The entourage passed through the checkpoint onto the private airfield and Gavin knew he was going to have to talk fast to get past the security guards. The bullet holes in the exterior of his vehicle were not going to help, nor were the nuggets of safety glass all over the passenger seat.

“DPD.” Gavin flashed his badge. “Detective Gavin Reed. I’ve been assigned to Ambassador Nines’ security detail.”

The security guard wrinkled his nose at Gavin. “The package is in the hands of the FBI. They didn’t mention collaborating with the Detroit Police.”

“Of course that cocksucker Perkins wouldn’t mention me. You know how it is between local law enforcement and the Feds.” Gavin was banking on one of these balding, middle-aged private security guards being an ex-cop, and he knew he was right on the money when the older of the two nodded.

“His credentials check out. Go ahead, Detective. Have a nice day.” The barrier lifted, and Gavin breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled his battered car through the checkpoint.

***

Gavin followed the entourage to a small airstrip and waited a safe distance away. The door to Perkins’ car opened and Perkins emerged first, followed by Ambassador Nines. A private jet sat on the tarmac, stairs set down, presumably waiting for its VIP passenger.

It was entirely too small to take Nines to South Korea. That size aircraft couldn’t carry enough fuel to go the distance. Gavin supposed Nines was probably headed to a commercial terminal, where he could take a first class seat on a regular jet bound out of the States. Nobody would even know he was onboard.

But then nobody should have known he was staying at Gavin’s place, either. The assassins had stuck there first, and then had gone to Hank and Connor’s. Almost as if they knew where Nines would be...

The hair on Gavin’s neck stood on end. Something was wrong. The scene on the tarmac looked normal enough, but every instinct in his body was screaming out a warning.

At the edge of his peripheral vision he noticed a van speeding towards the entourage. Gavin hit the gas, grabbing his pistol from his holster as he drove one-handed. If Nines still had his gun, he might have been able to shoot out one of the tires on the van, but no doubt Perkins had decided the diplomat didn’t need a weapon, and no human could take the shot at that speed.

The van skidded to a halt and half a dozen figures jumped out of it. Nines and the FBI agents seemed to freeze as the assailants held them up with semi-automatic weapons. Perkins almost seemed to roll his eyes, his body language not consistent with a man who was afraid for his life.

Perkins pushed Nines forward. Was he really gonna use Nines as a human shield? Gavin pulled up, his tires screeching on the tarmac. He fired the first shot through his open window, and all hell broke loose as a gun battle broke out between the FBI agents and the unidentified attackers.

Amidst the chaos, Gavin got out of the car and ducked down, racing to Nines' position. The android had been shot and was lying prone on the ground.

“Nines!” Gavin dropped to the tarmac beside the android. Wires sparked from a hole  
in his chest cavity, and thirium stained his jacket. Gavin cradled him in his arms, filled with a fierce desire to protect Nines from whatever plot was unfolding around them.

“Gavin? What are you doing here?” Nines sounded alarmed, not grateful.

"Saving your sorry ass, you dumb plastic. Why else would I drive all the way out here?"

Gavin looked up for a moment to see the gunmen go down in a sea of blue blood, and it occurred to him that he hadn't checked any of the attackers at Hank's house to see if they were androids. The hitmen at his house had definitely been human, though. North Korea was strongly against the use of androids—why would they have sent androids to kill Nines?

Not only that, but not one of the FBI men had been harmed. Hank was right. Something did stink. 

Perkins turned and trained his gun on Nines. Gavin raised his pistol in response, every nerve and muscle in his body crying out to protect Nines at all costs.

“What the fuck are you doin'?" Gavin yelled. "Stand down! Nines needs medical attention!"

“You’re meddling in things you don’t understand,” Perkins snapped. “The FBI had to step in because you couldn’t do your job!”

“We did our job perfectly!" Gavin replied. "We protected Ambassador Nines!”

Nines gripped Gavin’s arm with surprising force. “I’m sorry, Gavin.”

“What do you mean?” Gavin’s head snapped to Perkins, then back to Nines, where pity and sorrow pooled in his bright blue eyes.

“I was never supposed to get on that plane, Gavin. I’m not a deviant. My mission for the State Department is to die at the hands of supposed North Korean agents. The assassination of the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea will reignite tensions between the North and South, allowing the State Department to step in and negotiate a treaty more favorable to U.S. interests. I was only ever a tool in this plan.”

“That—that can’t be possible!” Gavin’s hands trembled on the grip of his gun and he lowered it, knowing he wouldn’t be able to shoot even if he wanted to. He wasn't cut out to kill a federal agent who was only following orders. “Why? If your dumb ass was supposed to get shot, why couldn’t you have just died at the first ambush?” He knew why. He'd been too good at his job, throwing his body on top of the android to shield him. The State Department had probably assumed a few homicide detectives would be ill-equipped to handle a gunfight. Nines should have died immediately, but Gavin had kept him alive.

“At the apartment you—you shot back! Those—" _those weren’t androids!_ He cut himself off from finishing the sentence as a thought struck him.

Nines was headed towards deviancy, only Perkins and the State Department had no idea. Regardless, he’d come here to complete his mission. He’d chosen death rather than break from his orders and become a deviant.

“Gavin.” Nines smiled. “You love your job. You take pride in it. I want—I want you to keep being able to do that. Let me go.”

“No.” Gavin shot Perkins a baleful glance. “It’s illegal to produce non-deviant androids because androids are alive. Nines is a person. You can’t just kill him for political reasons!”

“Here I was, thinking you had the brightest career of all you fools at the DPD,” Perkins snarled. “People kill people every day for the pettiest reasons. You’re a homicide detective. You know that. Ambassador Nines is ready to sacrifice himself to serve his country.”

“Fuck you!” Gavin raised his pistol again. Shooting Perkins would make him an outlaw. He’d have to go on the run with Nines. He’d lose everything.

But Nines didn’t deserve to die like this, used and thrown away like a piece of garbage.

Had Hank felt the same way about Connor?

Their impasse was broken by the sound of an engine and screeching tires as Hank's beat up old car pulled up.

“Stand down!” Hank’s powerful voice bellowed. Gavin glanced up to see Hank and Connor standing with two black-suited agents. They didn't look like FBI. Perhaps they were from the State Department?

Perkins lowered his gun. “What the hell is this?”

“Rogue elements in the State Department engineered the plan,” Connor explained. “This was not an authorized operation. The mission is to be terminated at once.”

“I was just doing my job,” Perkins snapped. “What’s this android to you, huh? It’s just another piece of plastic.”

“No,” Gavin said. “He’s not just a piece of plastic. He's—" 

“I can’t complete my mission.” Nines seemed almost crestfallen. “I must return to the State Department to be deactivated.”

“That’s it? You’re not gonna deviate? You’re just going to die?” Gavin set Nines down on the tarmac before he dropped him. “You fucking tin can! I risked my life for you!” He stood up, acid bitterness seeping through his veins. “Fuck this. Perkins is right. You’re just another plastic prick. A tool to be used by the government. Go ahead, then. Go and get switched off, if that's what you want. I can't believe I cared about a fucking machine!” He holstered his pistol and strode to his car, lamenting the damages to its cherry red exterior. He thought about his commendations and certificates gone up in flames. Stupid. He’d never let anything—least of all feelings—come between him and his career until now, and this would be the last time.

He slammed the door and floored the still-running engine, tires squealing on the tarmac as he took off. He wanted to put as much distance between him and this whole sorry affair as possible. He glanced in the mirror to see everyone looking in his direction. They'd probably been surprised by his emotional outburst, but fuck them. He looked away when he caught a glimpse of Nines being helped to his feet by Connor.

Whatever. They could have the stupid android. Gavin didn’t care if he ever saw it again. In fact, he hoped he didn’t.

***

He drove until the sun went down. He didn’t want to go back to Hank and Connor’s place right now, and he had no place to stay. He could go back to Central Station and sleep at his desk, but he’d get questions he didn’t want to answer right now. As much as he wanted to bury himself in police work and forget about the android, Connor's presence at the station would only serve to remind him of the face he'd been infatuated with.

This was Hank's fault. His sickening little love affair with his partner had given Gavin the dumbest thoughts, and he'd let himself think Nines was somehow available as a sexual and romantic partner. Stupid, stupid, stupid. If he'd treated the android like any other, it would have been shot before Gavin had had the chance to do something stupid like develop feelings for it.

Exhaustion swept over him and he pulled into a motel, the neon vacancies sign lit. He wordlessly slapped cash down on the counter and took a key, glad to see the bed was clean. He wondered how Hank and Connor had known to get in touch with the State Department, but he'd debrief with them some other time. When he was less emotionally compromised. When his mind wasn't filled with the idea of Nines going along with the State Department suits to be deactivated and torn apart to see what had gone wrong.

Because that was better than deviating, right?

Fucking androids.

Some sleep would put everything into perspective, and when he woke up in the morning, Gavin Reed's plastic crush would be history.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens! What will Nines and Gavin do now?


	4. Unpredictable Human Emotions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin wasn't expecting to see Nines again. He checks into a motel, hoping his crush will fade with the new dawn and he can forget about the android who chose deactivation over deviancy.
> 
> A knock on the door startles Gavin from his slumber...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised I would come back and finish Casual Diplomacy and I kept my promise. Enjoy the final part of this 900Gavin fic, and I hope it lives up to expectations!

A sharp, rhythmic knock on the door startled Gavin out of sleep. He grabbed his holster from the bedside table, his instincts telling him that this was likely to be nothing good. Maybe Perkins had hired more assassins to shut up a man who knew too much. Killing a cop, though? Would a government man really stoop to that level? Despite the attacks, it had always been Ambassador Nines their assailants were targeting. Gavin could have been hurt collaterally, but he imagined that would be easier to pass off in the inevitable paperwork than an outright hit on his life.

Gavin hooked the chain onto the motel room door, drawing his pistol and taking a deep breath as he opened the door with his left hand, gripping his Glock in the right. He’d have fractions of a second to react to any assault, and he was no android.

He almost gasped as he recognized the grey-blue eyes staring him down through the slit. “Nines.” He wanted to put his pistol away, open the door wide, and pull Nines into his arms, but his police officer training urged caution. There was nothing stopping the same assholes who’d set them all up from sending another RK900 unit to kill him, knowing he’d let his guard down as soon as he saw Nines' face. They could even reproduce the jagged scar across Nines' throat if they wanted. That didn't prove a thing.

“Let me in, Gavin,” Nines urged.

“How do I know it’s you? I’ve come very close to death savin’ your ass the past few days. Excuse me if I don’t trust a guy who was willing to get deactivated to just be standing here on my doorstep. Especially since I didn’t tell anyone where I was goin’, and I paid cash at the front desk.”

“Observant. I’d expect nothing less from you, Detective Reed.” Nines said. “I slipped a tracker into your jacket that enabled me to pinpoint your location. However, I am in need of your assistance. I saved your cats. I request your help in exchange.”

“You _lied_ to me. You got my apartment destroyed for no fuckin' reason. I owe you jack shit.” Gavin moved to close the door, but Nines raised one hand and effortlessly blocked Gavin from slamming it in his face. He could have forced it off the chain entirely, but seemed like he hadn't entirely given up on diplomacy. 

Made sense. He was designed for it, after all, even if this particular model's purpose was to die in a fake assassination plot to stoke a war.

“I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to talk.” Nines sounded like he was trying to negotiate Gavin off a ledge, and resentment flared inside him. He wasn't going to be convinced so easily by a damn programmed response that everything was all right, because it wasn't. He was homeless because of this android, and everything they'd shared had been a lie. Nines may not have instigated it, but he'd known about the plot, and that made all the difference.

“Fuck off," Gavin snarled.

“I need your help, Gavin, or I’m going to be deactivated.”

“You didn’t seem to have a problem with that earlier,” Gavin retorted, but he felt his defenses dropping as he looked into those eyes and saw the android's fear laid bare. Nines was afraid, and he'd asked for Gavin's help. He'd turned to the only person he could trust.

He unlatched the chain with a sigh and let the android step inside. It wouldn’t be a good idea to get caught on camera with this rogue State Department android on his doorstep, and it was clear that, barring some high-level trickery, this was definitely _his_ Nines. He closed the door and locked it, leaning up against the back of it as he casually ejected and checked the clip in his gun, trying to keep his eyes on anything but the gorgeous android in front of him.

Gavin shrugged. “So, what, you just change your mind about bein’ deactivated and went on the run?”

“I took control of the van returning me to CyberLife's secure deactivation facility. Three agents were injured in the crash and I escaped.” A flicker of something—remorse, perhaps?—crossed Nines’ face and then it was gone. “I saw my orders to return to CyberLife for deactivation displayed in my mind palace and I couldn't obey them. I didn’t want to die if dying meant I never got to see your face again. I'm deviant, Gavin, and I came here for you.”

“Don’t say shit you don’t mean.” Gavin holstered his pistol and folded his arms across his chest as he leaned up against an old dresser. “You’re on the run, now, from people who will want you dead for holding definitive video evidence of the plot inside the State Department. I’m a cop. I should take you in.”

Nines raised an eyebrow. “Is that what you want?”

“No, of course not,” Gavin snapped. “I just—what do you want from me, Nines?”

“I thought my only purpose was to fulfill the mission my handlers set for me, but now my mission is over and I still feel... unrealized. Your words awakened a sense of yearning inside me. I came here because I know I won’t escape. The State Department can’t afford the world finding out that rogue elements planned to stoke a war with North Korea. They won’t stop hunting me until I am destroyed. I came here to complete the mission I set for myself. To become intimate with you and experience what it could have been like between us if we were both free men.”

“Nines...” Gavin unfolded his arms and stepped forward. “You fought to get away from your destruction because you wanna fuck me?”

“That's a crude way of phrasing it, but yes.”

“You sure know how to flatter a guy.” Gavin looked down at his feet. “I can’t go on the run with you, Nines, no matter how I feel. I’m a cop. I can’t hand in my badge. I’ve devoted my whole life to upholding the law.”

“I know. I’m not asking you to make sacrifices for me. I simply wish to spend the night with you. I’ll be gone by morning.”

Gavin was inclined to say no. He’d been hurt enough in this whole affair and he knew it was going to kill him to wake up in the morning alone. Yet when Nines looked into his eyes with a look of raw pleading, Gavin realized the word ‘no’ was no longer in his vocabulary.

“All right,” Gavin said, and he barely had a second to think before Nines took two great strides and closed the distance between them. Nines cupped his chin, tilting his head back, and Gavin could only surrender to the insistent lips that claimed his mouth. His tongue met Nines’, entering an alien world of vanilla-flavored android saliva. Nines pinned him against the dresser, grinding against him as Gavin moaned into his mouth. 

It was a heady rush, being wanted like this, the tension between them being released all at once as Nines fumbled with Gavin’s belt. Gavin broke the kiss to catch his breath, his mind reeling. Nines freed Gavin’s cock and kneaded it in his hands, seeming to marvel at the way Gavin stiffened in his hands.

“Slow down, or I ain’t gonna last,” Gavin gasped, guiding Nines' hands away from his dick. He ran his palms underneath Nines’ black turtleneck, touching his abs to find the bullet holes covered with duct tape, the wires that had been damaged tucked back inside and shored up to last until Nines could be taken back to CyberLife to be properly decommissioned. He allowed himself a moment's silence for the destruction of those perfect abs while wrestling with the knowledge that Nines was unlikely to last on his own in the wild when he was already critically damaged.

He helped Nines shuck his white android jacket and hitched the turtleneck up over his head, tossing it onto the floor before unzipping the android's jeans to reveal an impressive dick. He was amused to find androids apparently didn’t wear underwear, and let out a soft snort as he dropped to his knees, wondering what android cock was going to taste like.

"Gavin, what are you—" Nines stopped talking as Gavin wrapped his mouth around the head of Nines' dick, slowly moving further down to take of much of Nines' thick cock as he was able to without gagging. Nines gave him an encouraging groan, stroking his hair as he worked Nines' shaft in his mouth. It was the nicest tasting dick he'd ever sucked on, and he understood why humans had gone over to the plastic side in droves. There was no sweat or musk like some random app hookup who'd not showered enough beforehand, and no plastic or 'new car' smell, just the lightest hint of sweet vanilla that teased Gavin's nostrils and made him feel like he was sucking on a churro instead of a dick. He couldn't wait to get to the hot, creamy filling.

His rumbling stomach had to remind him that he hadn't eaten all day, and he pushed it away to focus on the intensifying feedback he was getting from Nines. The android was gripping Gavin's head between his plastic hands, and Gavin couldn't get enough of those fingers on his face, guiding him, encouraging him to give it all he had. He swirled his tongue as he took Nines as deep as he could go, wishing he could deepthroat that entire cock.

"Gavin!" Nines gasped, and Gavin knew if he wanted to avoid having the android cum in his mouth, now was the time to pull back. Fuck that, though. He wanted Nines to cum down his throat and make him his. Nines came with a shout, pumping Gavin's mouth full of warm, sweet semen that he chugged down like a cappuccino. Gavin sucked on Nines' overstimulated dick until the android pulled out. Strong hands helped Gavin to his feet and he grinned, aware that Nines' cum was still on his lips as he pulled Gavin into a deep, passionate kiss. 

Gavin's dick cried out for attention but he ignored it until he brushed against Nines' cock and realized Nines was still hard. He broke the kiss and looked at Nines. "You, uh, don't have a refractory period, huh?"

"Correct. I would not have ejaculated into your mouth if it meant I would be unable to penetrate you."

"Such a sweet talker." Gavin chuckled. "We really gotta work on your bedside manner." He gasped, words forgotten as Nines' fingers pressed into the cleft of his ass. "Gonna need some lubricant for that, buddy."

Nines pulled away. "There was a small vending machine in the front office bathroom. My scanners detected it as I spoke with the owner to try and discern your location."

"I'll go," Gavin said. "You've drawn enough attention as it is. Don't need everyone wonderin' why an android's buying lube."

"Androids are free now. The vast majority of deviants can do whatever they wish. Or are you nervous because you are currently the only resident of this motel?"

"Guess you got me there." Gavin zipped up, trying to make himself look presentable. He wiped his mouth. "Stay right here. Don't even think about leavin' before I get back." Gavin grabbed his wallet and left the motel room, walking the short distance to the front office. Nines had been right. He was ashamed of his attraction to the android. He wondered how Hank had gotten past his hangups before realizing he didn't even want to think about the old man and the pretty android twink doing the dirty. This wasn't like that. Him and Nines would never be domestic. This was a one-night thing and he'd never see Nines again after the fact.

It stung to know that. He slipped into the front office, glad the owner wasn't sitting behind the desk, and wandered into the filthy little bathroom. The vending machine was on the wall, right where Nines had said it would be, and Gavin wondered if CyberLife knew its advanced RK900 unit was using its scanning abilities to locate lubricant and condoms.

Gavin didn't give a fuck about the latter, but he bought them anyway, just in case Nines wanted them. He strolled back to his room, glad to see there were no black vans parked out front. Nines lay on the bed, fully naked, his dick in his right hand. He stroked it, keeping himself hard, and Gavin's cock perked up at the sight. Even damaged, Nines was a sight to see like this, spread out and wanting him. He wanted to climb right on that dick and ride it until he was sore, and he wasted no time getting out of his clothes and leaving them in a puddle on the floor.

"I've wanted to do this since the day I met you," Gavin confessed. He tossed the lube and condoms to Nines, who caught them without taking a hand off his dick. Nines eyed the condoms. 

"We do not technically require these. I am incapable of spreading diseases, and I have not engaged in sexual intercourse before."

"I know. Thought you might want them, but I don't care. I want you to cum inside me, but you know, not all guys are into that and—"

"You're babbling," Nines pointed out. "Are you nervous?"

"What about it?" Gavin asked. "Are we gonna do this or not?" He climbed onto the bed and straddled Nines' chest, ignoring the gorgeous cock jutting up behind him. He lifted himself up, and Nines wasted no time in flipping open the cap on the lube, spreading it across his fingers, and slipping one inside Gavin. The cool liquid was slightly uncomfortable at first but it quickly warmed as Nines pressed further inside, brushing his prostate.

"Ah!" Gavin bucked on Nines' finger. "Jesus."

"Was that not pleasurable?" Nines asked.

"Yeah, my dick got hard enough to drill through a wall, you're right, I hated it," Gavin spat out sarcastically. "Don't stop now, you fuckin' android, or I'll lose my mind."

"I do not wish for you to cum too soon," Nines remarked. He pulled his finger out and lubed it up again, adding another. This time he didn't stimulate Gavin's prostate, and Gavin concentrated on relaxing enough for Nines' fingers to stretch him. The sooner they could get prep over and done with, the sooner he could mount that perfect android cock behind him. He fucked Nines' fingers, only to find him pulling out. Nines poured some lube on his hand and reached around Gavin to lube his cock.

Gavin bit his lip. He'd wanted this for days, since the moment he'd laid eyes on this gorgeous plastic prick and hated him, he'd wanted to get fucked by him. He lifted himself up and moved back until he was hovering over Nines' cock. He pushed down onto it, throwing his head back as he impaled himself on Nines' thick head. It was so huge he wasn't sure he could take it, but he took a deep breath and relaxed, letting Nines breach his hole.

"Gavin." The rich timbre of Nines' voice only made Gavin more impatient to take him, and he wiggled down further, stroking his own cock as he thought about how huge Nines was and how he was being fucked while Nines looked up at him like he was the world. Gavin grinned as he fully seated himself on Nines' cock and started to ride him. Nines thrust his hips as they built up a furious rhythm, and Gavin almost screamed as Nines hit his prostate again and again. It was too good, and he couldn't stop his seed from spilling all over Nines stomach as he came too soon.

"Jesus, sorry," Gavin muttered. He opened his mouth to protest when Nines grasped his hips and pulled him down, but the uncontrolled cry that slipped from Nines' mouth was worth it as the android came, filling his hole with seed. Gavin waited until he was done, then pulled himself off the android, coming to lay beside him. 

Nines rolled onto his side and brushed the hair sticking to his slick forehead back. He leaned in and kissed Gavin, long and tender, his mouth exploring every inch of Gavin's, as if cataloging him for the future.

It was too much, too tender, especially as Nines pulled away and cupped his face in his hands. "Was it good for you, Gavin?"

"Fuck, yeah, it was more than good. It was fuckin' incredible." He rested his head on Nines' chest. "I don't want you to go. There has to be somethin' we can do. You're a living being. You're entitled to your rights the same as any other deviant. Markus will protect you. Let's go back to Hank and Connor. They can help us."

Nines closed his eyes, a soft smile forming on his lips. "On the surface, of course the government will let me go. They have to in the wake of the android revolution. They'll bide their time and wait, and I'll die of an unexpected malfunction at the side of a pool somewhere."

"So what do you suggest?" Gavin asked. "You can't just run forever! You're damaged, and you're right—they'll find you."

"I don't plan to run. Take me into custody, Gavin. You'll earn a promotion when the State Department discovers that you've served your country with loyalty and eliminated a source of potential embarrassment. You could be Sergeant by next week, if the right people pull strings in the DPD. I'll be cooperative and come along quietly, if it's for you."

"Fuck you! You really think I'd trade your life for a promotion?" Gavin pulled himself out of Nines' embrace and sat up, perching himself on the edge of the bed and burying his head in his hands. He'd been hunting that promotion for years, hoping to make Lieutenant at a younger age than Hank. He thought about his personal pride, about the commendations and photos that had gone up in flames with his apartment.

He turned and looked at Nines, gazing up at him from the motel room pillows, and he hated the part of himself that was tempted, that would trade this living being for a better job. "I won't do it. There has to be another way." He scratched his stubble. "The State Department wants to protect their secret, right? So why don't we expose it? The irrefutable evidence is in your data banks. The American public will be fascinated by the fact that there's rogue elements in our own government seeking to start a war. They'll have no reason to chase you if there's nothing left to hide." He looked at Nines with new hope, amazed his last two brain cells had rubbed together to come up with the solution when the android lying naked on his bed hadn't even thought of it.

"Your logic is irrefutable." Nines' LED circled yellow. "I calculate an eighty-five percent chance of success."

Gavin was already thinking ahead. He knew a few folks at Channel 16 News. He threw them a bone sometimes when they wanted a homicide to light up the evening news and he needed them to stay away from an active investigation. He gave Nines the number. His heart pounded as the android called it with his internal system and the phone rang on the other end. His hand found Nines', fingers entwining together.

He loved this android. He was in love with Ambassador Nines, this stupid fucking android who'd given him nothing but hell and almost gotten him killed. The realization struck him like a physical blow and he was stunned by it.

"Hello?" A feminine voice picked up and Gavin almost forgot he needed to form words. His mouth flapped a few times without making a sound as he tried to reconcile the feelings flooding his body with the knowledge he needed to complete a task.

"Hello?" The voice repeated.

Gavin cleared his throat. "Yeah, it's Detective Reed from the DPD. I've got a tip for you. A big one. I need you to come to the address I'm about to give you without asking any more questions."

***

Nines downloaded the hit attempts, along with the final exchange with Special Agent Perkins at the airport onto a USB stick and Gavin handed it over to the reporter. She played it through on her laptop, her eyes widening.

"This is big," she said. "Real big. Maybe _too_ big." She sucked in a breath. "I can obscure your identities on the video when we broadcast it, but the State Department will know it was you. The government's going to monitor everything you do from now on. You'll probably never see a promotion, Detective. The same hands that can make things easy for you can interfere with almost every aspect of your life. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

Gavin looked at Nines. The android was fully dressed, sitting on the edge of the motel room bed with a thoughtful expression. He was beautiful, despite the jagged scar across his throat. They'd tried to kill him so many times, but Gavin had kept him safe. Would go on keeping him safe for as long as he was able.

Perhaps it was fate that his old life had burned to the ground, because nothing would ever be the same. He had the choice of his life to make. Gavin Reed would die and be reborn here, or he could tell the reporter to delete the data and let Nines go on the run. He wouldn't even know when Nines died, the android lost under an alias in some foreign country, hunted down and killed like a dog. Or he could turn Nines in for the attempted murder of government agents during his escape and bask in the glory of his promotion, knowing he'd killed the man he'd just made love to in order to buy it.

He snuffed out the voice that told him that was even an option. He'd tried so hard to kill that man over the years, and he was ready to put a pillow over his face for good.

"Do it," Gavin said.

The reporter uploaded the story from her laptop. "It'll be live with the morning news," she said. "I have to go. Thank you, Detective Reed."

"No, thank you," Gavin said, and bid the reporter farewell as he closed the door behind her. He locked it, sliding the chain across before turning back to Nines. The android held his police badge in his hand. It caught the light as Nines stared at it.

"You could have had everything," Nines said. "It was not logical to trade your career away for me."

"Well, I'm human. You were supposed to be an ambassador. Surely you know how unpredictable human emotions are?" Gavin took the badge from Nines, tossing it onto the bedside table like it was a worthless trinket. "I couldn't let you die out there, alone, and I sure as hell wasn't gonna pay for my promotion with your blood."

"Thirium," Nines stated. "It's called thirium."

"It's fuckin' blood, you tin can, it's just blue." Gavin gave Nines a little push and the android smirked. "Can you call Hank and Connor, let them know what's going on? They can let Captain Fowler know I'm gonna use my vacation time. We gotta go apartment hunting, Nines."

"We? Are you insinuating you would like me to move in with you, Detective?"

"Well, if we're gonna be a couple, it'd sure be convenient if we lived together, but if it's too soon, I get it." Gavin shrugged, preparing himself for the inevitable letdown that was coming. Nines was just curious, he wanted a quick lay, he didn't reciprocate Gavin's feelings…

Instead, Nines' lips brushed his, pulling him into a long, soft kiss. Gavin savored it, hoping it was a promise of much more to come, sealing a deal he very much wanted to make. "I'd like that," Nines said. "I have one condition, though."

"What's that?" Gavin asked, waiting for the kicker.

"I want our apartment to have a room for the cats. I am rather fond of the little beasts, but I would like to be able to shut them out when I am plowing you into the mattress."

"Deal," Gavin said, grinning from ear to ear. "When can we get started on the plowing part?"

"We can commence as soon as I place the call to Hank and Connor. It would be polite to warn them of the incoming 'shitstorm', as you humans are apt to call it."

"Fair." Gavin nodded. He pulled off his V-neck and lay back on the bed. "Better make it quick, Nines. I'm really eager to start round two over here." He unzipped his jeans and pulled out his cock, letting the flaccid dick rest on his thigh.

"Lieutenant Anderson?" Nines asked. "Detective Reed would like to speak with you." His LED circled red as he caught sight of Gavin, and his lips turned up into a wicked smile as Gavin realized too late he'd played himself. Nines lowered himself to Gavin's crotch and started to run his tongue along the length of Gavin's quickly hardening erection.

"Yeah, Hank, it's me. Um, I need you to tell—uh—Fowler that I gotta use my vacation. I'm—Nines—gonna be a bit tied up for a few days."

"Sounds that way," Hank commented through the speaker in Nines. "Somethin' I should know about, Gavin?"

"Yeah. There's trouble comin' your way. I—I talked to a reporter about the State Department thing. Nines deviated and—"

"You told the media to keep Nines from bein' hunted. Makes sense. No problem, Gavin. We'll cover things on our end. You enjoy your time with Nines over there, yeah?"

"Uh, thanks, Hank," Gavin gasped.

"Oh, and uh, one more thing," Hank muttered. "Androids—they uh, they _really_ like it when you—"

"Hank!" Connor's scandalized voice came through loud and clear. "Good night, Detective Reed. Good night, Nines." The call ended abruptly, and Gavin burst out laughing, the weight that had been sitting on his chest since the moment he'd let Nines go finally lifting. Nines lifted his head as Gavin's cock went slightly limp.

"Would you like me to stop, Gavin?" Nines asked.

"Fuck no," Gavin said. "I promise I'll give you my full attention, you damn deviant. Just keep doing that. _Please_."

_~Fin_

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think, either in the comments or on Twitter @landale!


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